In prior art meat snacks, ground-up left-over meat from slaughterhouse operations, such as, beef or pork, is mixed, in desired proportions of lean and fat, with spices, preservatives and water binders, and continuously stuffed into suitable casings. The resulting material then is subjected to a smokehouse cycle to impart smokiness to the product and dry the same to the desired moisture level of about 12 to 20%. The product is then cut into the desired lengths for packaging, usually in an air tight foil package. These products are quite popular, have an acceptable nutritional value of about 25% by weight of meat protein, and have a long room temperature shelf-life.
The substitution of vegetable and other non-meat proteins for meat proteins in a number of meat products has been attempted, in view of the somewhat uneconomic and inefficient process whereby animals convert proteinaceous vegetable materials into meat, and other economic pressures, such as, limited grazing land for animals.
Consumer acceptance of meat-like products formulated from non-meat proteins is in large measure predicated on the extent of appearance, texture, taste and chewiness duplication of natural meat products and considerable difficulty often is experienced in meeting these requirements.
As far as the applicants are aware, any prior attempts which may have been made to provide a consumer acceptable meatless snack food having the taste, texture and other characteristics of the prior art meat-based products mentioned above have not been successful.